A set of new £2 coins celebrating the centenary of the Royal Air Force - featuring the iconic Vulcan Bomber - is now in circulation.

The Vulcan XH558 - a 1950s RAF bomber - is close to the hearts of many Leicestershire people, as they turned out to watch her soar in the skies above the Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome.

The jet-engined, delta wing strategic bomber was sold, to C. Walton Aircraft Ltd, at Bruntingthorpe in Leicestershire, where David Walton’s team of volunteers kept her in running condition.

She was the star of the ‘Rolling Thunder’ fast taxi days held at the airfield for some years, and was seen by more than 20 million people at displays around the country.

The Vulcan XH558 took to the skies for its final summer of flight when it was grounded due to Civil Aviation Regulations in 2015.

And now, to mark the centenary of The Royal Air Force, The Royal Mint has issued a series of five new RAF £2 coins into circulation, each celebrating the RAF and its most iconic aircraft.

The new RAF Vulcan £2 coin (Image: The Westminster Collection)

Other designs include the Sea King helicopter, Spitfire and F-35 Lightning II as well as the RAF crest.

Designed and built in the 1950s, the Vulcan was operated by the Royal Air Force from 1956 until 1984.

A information on The Westminster Collection website reads: "This £2 coin is the third in the RAF coin series and features a striking design of the Vulcan Bomber with its instantly recognisable delta wing on the reverse, designed by Richard and Neil Talbot, to celebrate this iconic aircraft.

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"Your Vulcan £2 coin is in certified Brilliant Uncirculated condition, to ensure that its quality surpasses the condition of the coins you would typically find in your change. It has also been protectively encapsulated to preserve its quality for generations to come.

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"The Royal Air Force was formed during the First World War in 1918, and is the oldest air force in the world. It has always had an impressive following of fans in awe of their triumphs, and this coin is sure to be snapped up by both coin and RAF collectors."